What do you like or dislike about Spyder Events ?

[Kredab]

My dealer is building a huge new building to house Dr Powersports. The owner wants to turn it into a destination for Spyders.The pictures attached are the new building.
1) what do you like or dislike about Spyder Events ?
2) do you travels to dealers to see what accessories they have?

Thank you you in advance, I want to know your thoughts

[DGoebel]

Well organized Group Rides, nice Vendor Village location that allows all weather browsing, purchasing, and installing. Good variety of lodging nearby, hotels, motels, camping. We really enjoyed the Passport Rides that took us (individually or in small groups) to local attractions, businesses, restaurants, etc.

[Bob Denman]

What do I NOT like about the events?
The fact that I'm able to get to so few of them!

What do I like about them?
Everything else!!

Whenever I'm at a Dealership: I always cruise the accessories...
(After the showroom floor; of course!)

[Roadster Renovations]

Only downside I see is crime occurring at the hotels. I think that smaller to medium-sized towns are more suitable for events.....

[Buckeye Bleau]

Very nice looking building for the dealership, I truly hope that it works out well for them.

I would guess that a centralized location would be the most effective, Iowa is right there.

I always ask myself what is in it for me? I believe that the group Rydes are a big thing, the geography in the USA is so diverse, people are always looking for good roads, places to see and things to do with their valuable vacation time and dollars.

Another note would be the weather and the vendors, local eateries, especially if the local has unique foods to experience, but negotiated hotel or campsites is a big plus. I know most people stay in hotels, but for me to go to some of these, I would prefer to have a good place to camp, park a camper or whatever, then I can spend more money while there.

I think that the Pitbull custom bykes tend to draw some people there and they do sell a few while there. You can only buy those from them.

Joe

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

for long island that would be considered a huge building and property for bikes

[Chupaca]

Nice building looks very similar to the New Pit Bull building. Now most will travel and enjoy dealerships that are in remote places with little conjestion and plenty of room. Most will browse the parts and acc section for the latested acc's . As for events there are two types. The dealer day long with rydes that are more locally attended and the open 3 day events with folks from all over. Organization will make or break the success of the event. I only get to one big event a year and they have all been great and several local ones that are fun and successful but not often repeated....

[JayBros]

My Spyder rally experience is very limited because I've had my bike going on just three years this fall. I had a lot of fun at two Spyderfests and I like the organizational approach the Mogang uses. Why do I go -- to meet new folks and to ride and see other parts of our great country. I enjoy group rides but also enjoy very much riding alone. For that reason I would like to see organizers have available ride routes in .gpx format that an attendee could download to a GPS and I'd even be willing to pay a reasonable fee to have access to such routes, either downloadable online or on a flash drive. I'm not a shopper always looking for more bling to add to my Spyder so I can be through a dealer's accessories area in 5-10 minutes.

[viperryder]

I seem to like that some of the rallies we go to have a get together the first night, so everybody could get to know each other. Guided rydes are another great thing, vendors are a big draw and at some gatherings they have breakfast and dinners at host hotel. This keeps the ryders at the hotel and better to get to know each other. Vendors such as: tire people, goodies and the like. My thoughts. Let the party begin.

[JerryB]

Hi Kredab,

Re: What do you like or dislike about Spyder Events ?

I would like to see Tech Sessions at these various events.

As a Mech Engr I'm a nuts & bolts kinda guy. It would be nice to see 1 or 2 1-hour Tech Sessions each afternoon of any event. They could be simply a speaker explaining something or a 'hands-on' event where they would do something to a Spyder; such as do an oil change for one example.

Jerry Baumchen

[Tyris]

Waterloo?

Variety of vendors offering what dealers generally don't have on hand.
Discounted installations, LEDs, Swaybars etc.

Large get-together area both indoor and out. A Pond, trees etc.
Seminars, how-tos, that sort of thing

[ARtraveler]

Will have to sit back and watch. I am looking at two to three days travel just to get to the lower 48. Timing is important, vendors are important, sponsoring dealership needs lots of accessory stuff--which can be a problem if they only have one event a year.

[T.P.]

Become a Can Am Spyder Supporting Dealer on SpyderLovers, so the members can see who they are.

Treat the members correctly and the word will get around,
Treat them badly and the word will also get around.

They will need to draw Spyder Ryders from a state or two away by offering something their local dealer doesn't.



T.P.

[SpyderAnn01]

Kyle, you've got a lot of great suggestions here. Getting a group of volunteers together to plan and execute is a huge part of successful rallies so I'd start with organizing a local riding chapter.

If you hold it Squared Away will come.

[Trailboss]

My Spyder rally experience is very limited because I've had my bike going on just three years this fall. I had a lot of fun at two Spyderfests and I like the organizational approach the Mogang uses. Why do I go -- to meet new folks and to ride and see other parts of our great country. I enjoy group rides but also enjoy very much riding alone. For that reason I would like to see organizers have available ride routes in .gpx format that an attendee could download to a GPS and I'd even be willing to pay a reasonable fee to have access to such routes, either downloadable online or on a flash drive. I'm not a shopper always looking for more bling to add to my Spyder so I can be through a dealer's accessories area in 5-10 minutes.

It sounds like H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group) has the type of routes you are talking about and they can be downloaded.

[Killer Bee]

I'll let you know after the wife and I get back from our first - the Red Rock.

I am looking forward to the organized rides and the vendor village. And getting there and coming back!

[Fat Baxter]

Wouldn't know either way. No one holds Spyder events down here. Maybe there's too few Spyder riders to create the necessary critical mass.

Sometimes I get a flyer from the dealer up in Birmingham, but usually that's just announcing the latest models; "C'mon up and look." That's not enough to interest me.

[Kredab]

Waterloo?

Variety of vendors offering what dealers generally don't have on hand.
Discounted installations, LEDs, Swaybars etc.

Large get-together area both indoor and out. A Pond, trees etc.
Seminars, how-tos, that sort of thing

yep , Waterloo

[Desert Spyder]

At BRP owner events, not the co-sponsored like Red Rock, no competing vendors are allowed. BRP stuff is crap and overpriced anyway like apparel. It stops at 2X. Whats wrong with competition?

[Mazo EMS2]

Well organized Group Rides, nice Vendor Village location that allows all weather browsing, purchasing, and installing. Good variety of lodging nearby, hotels, motels, camping. We really enjoyed the Passport Rides that took us (individually or in small groups) to local attractions, businesses, restaurants, etc.

^^^Ditto^^^. Gotta have something to do if the weather doesn't cooperate. That's what I've enjoyed about a nice vendor village. I don't care much for the group rides myself, but that's just me. A group for 5 or 6 is plenty.

[SpyderAnn01]

Wouldn't know either way. No one holds Spyder events down here. Maybe there's too few Spyder riders to create the necessary critical mass.

Sometimes I get a flyer from the dealer up in Birmingham, but usually that's just announcing the latest models; "C'mon up and look." That's not enough to interest me.

Spyders on the Bayou is held in Louisiana in mid March. There are usually a bunch of Alabama Spyders that attend. You should plan on attending.

[otter28169]

Things that have worked well for us here in NY:
1) Guided rides, with a tail gunner that have had a recent pre-ride.
2) Limiting the number of "Long" rides (those approaching 200 miles)
3) Temporary mounted flashing lights for the leader/tail-gunner

Things that have not worked as well:
1) Even with experienced staff, rides with 50 or more bikes don't generally fare as well.
2) Having your event in a town that has a thriving tourism market. Makes it hard to get deals and special concessions.
3) Over-scheduling. If you put to many things into the itinerary, several may end up with minimal or no attendance.

I am sure there is a lot more that can be said, but finding your niche is what will make your event attractive to riders.

Just sayin'............

[PrairieSpyder]

There's something I'd like to see at an event (I'm going to suggest it to MoGang) is a rally course. They've done drag races and Spyder Games, so that covers straight acceleration and slow skills. But I'd like to see a twisty course with timed riding competition. The main problem would be getting cooperation from the LEOs and residents.

[Bob Denman]

There's something I'd like to see at an event (I'm going to suggest it to MoGang) is a rally course. They've done drag races and Spyder Games, so that covers straight acceleration and slow skills. But I'd like to see a twisty course with timed riding competition. The main problem would be getting cooperation from the LEOs and residents.

Some sort of gymkhana course DOES sound like fun!
You'd need a large parking lot, and a whole bunch of highway cones!

[SpyderAnn01]

Kyle, how far is the dealer from that big Indian Casino? That could be a good host hotel as there are probably multiple restaurant choices and entertainment along with a large parking lot. Having a hotel that can accommodate the majority of the group adds to the fellowship.